Sworn testimony of JAMES HILL DICKSON, JR. Suite 270C, Peachtree Center Cain Building, 229 Peachtree, M.E., Atlanta, Georgia. APPEARANCES ROBERT B. SERINO, Director, Enforcement and LOU FRANK, Senior National Bank Examiner and BRANDENBURG & HASTY SCIENTIFIC REPORTING DOCUMENTS CC-1, General Ledger Sheet, referring to CC-2, Minutes of organization meeting of the of Georgia, CC-3, Minutes of Executive Committee of National CC-4, Balance analysis by Manufacturers PAGE 1 MR. SERINO: 2 MR. DICKSON: We can go on the racord, now. May I get a copy of the transcript? MR. SERINO You nay; yes. We are presently conducting an inquiry on behalf of the office of the Comptroller of the Currency into matters arising out of transactions occurring at various National Barks, including the liational Bank of Georgia. My name is Robert B. Serino. I am Director of Enforcement and Compliance in the office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and with me is Mr. Lou Frank, Senior National Bank Examiner and Deputy Regional Administrator of National Banks. We're going to ask you questions concerning certain of your activities at the bank, and if you do not know the answer, or would like to step out and speak to counsel, you may do so at any time. I know you did not bring counsel with you today. The testimony here must be entirely voluntary. Do you understand that? MR. DICKSON: Yes. MR. SERINO: Mr. Frank, would you swear the witness, please? JAMES WILL DICKSON was sworn as a witness by Mr. Lou Frank, was examined and testified as follows: 2 EXAMINATION PAGE 2 BY MP. SERINO: Would you state your pare: spell your last name; and 3 4 your address, please? My name is Janes Hill Dickson: D-i-c-k-s-o-n, 8 Q Mr. Dickson, would you state for ne, please, your 9 background as a banker, generally, over the last ten years? A. - During the past ten years I have until the first of this year served as Senior Vice-President, or Executive Vice-President and Comptroller, of the National Bank of Georgia in Atlanta. tions? And in that capacity, what were your principal func 1 Over the past ten years my principal functions were those of Financial Officer, which encompassed for a period of that time direct responsibility for investments. For the accounting and reporting functions, as well as I served as and for a part of that time as an visory Member of the Board. 24 Dickson? 25 35 A Well, besides the Executive Corrittɛe 2 3 4 Q Starting in, say February of 1975, could you tell 17 18 BRANDENBURG & HASTY SCIENTIFIC REPORTING A. I think one that would be probably throughout that period was - - beside the chief executive officer at the Bank Harold Brockey. Probably for most of that period, Alvin Cates. And I really am not sure how many, because there were some rotation changes. 0 What was the function of the Executive Committee, Mr. Dickson? A. The Executive Committee, under the By-Laws of the Bank, had the power and responsibility for conducting the 19 affairs of the Bank in the interim between the Board meetings. A. I was Secretary of the Committee. Not a voting mem 23 ber of the Committee. 24 2 Any other committees that you were a member of? 25 A Not of the Board of Directors. No other committees Were you also Secretary of the Board of Directors? I was also Secretary of the Board of Directors. 4 What specific line functions did you have in the. 5 6 7 Bank in your capacity as Comptroller of the Bank? A Well, as I mentioned, the investment portfolio; the tax planning; the responsibility of trying to maintain liquid 8 ity. Trying to see that the Board members made certain re Just re ports, like the CC-903029, and that sort of thing. I sort of had the central responsibility for the Comptroller's that tried to keen it up to date, and I don't know whether Annual Report, before we got into the matter of public accountant's certification. Did you have any responsibility over correspondent bank business? ".. During a period of that time I was responsible also for the general operations and in respect to the correspondent ban's my only real concern and activity was the service that we got, particularly in the line of clearings, and also with respect to safekeeping of securities in the portfolio, which |