Sworn testimony of

JAMES HILL DICKSON, JR.
August 10,1977

Suite 270C,

Peachtree Center Cain Building, 229 Peachtree, M.E.,

Atlanta, Georgia.

APPEARANCES

ROBERT B. SERINO, Director, Enforcement and
Compliance Division, Comptroller of the Currency,
Administrator of National Banks, Washington, D. C.

LOU FRANK, Senior National Bank Examiner and
Deputy Regional Administrator of National Barks,
Atlanta, Georgia.

BRANDENBURG & HASTY SCIENTIFIC REPORTING

DOCUMENTS

CC-1, General Ledger Sheet, referring to
Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company
Account,

CC-2, Minutes of organization meeting of the
Board of Directors of the National Bank

of Georgia,

CC-3, Minutes of Executive Committee of National
Bank of Georgia of May 12, 1975,

CC-4, Balance analysis by Manufacturers
lianover dated January, 1977,

PAGE 1

MR. SERINO:

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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:

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EXAMINATION

PAGE 2

BY MP. SERINO:

Would you state your pare: spell your last name; and

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your address, please?

My name is Janes Hill Dickson: D-i-c-k-s-o-n,

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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
Secretary of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee,

and for a part of that time as an visory Member of the Board.
૧ What types of committees were established at the
Bank that you were either a member of, or Secretary to, Mr.

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Dickson?

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35

A Well, besides the Executive Corrittɛe

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Q Starting in, say February of 1975, could you tell

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BRANDENBURG & HASTY SCIENTIFIC REPORTING

A. I think one that would be probably throughout that

period was

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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.

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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.

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What specific line functions did you have in the.

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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

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ity. Trying to see that the Board members made certain re

Just re

ports, like the CC-903029, and that sort of thing.
minding them to report changes in ownership in the Bank stock.

I sort of had the central responsibility for the Comptroller's
Manual; keeping it up to date. I think I was one of the few

that tried to keen it up to date, and I don't know whether
and along with that I was in charge, had the overall respon-
ibility for the General Accounting, which did the Call Reports,
and the various other reports; Annual Report. I cartified the

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