When defendants evade service of process; dismissal of attachment.

(a) When a summons has been returned "not found" as to all or any of the defendants, residents of the county, if the plaintiff, his agent or attorney makes an affidavit that the defendant has evaded the service of the process, the court must direct an attachment to issue, returnable within 30 days after the levy thereof, and the case must in all respects proceed as against such defendant as if originally commenced by attachment.

(b) The plaintiff may, notwithstanding such attachment, proceed to judgment against any of the defendants on whom process was served, but upon a judgment and satisfaction of the debt or claim, the attachment shall be dismissed at the costs of the plaintiff.

(Code 1852, §§2568, 2569; Code 1867, §§2996, 2997; Code 1876, §§3321, 3322; Code 1886, §§2969, 2970; Code 1896, §§559, 560; Code 1907, §§2959, 2960; Code 1923, §§6207, 6208; Code 1940, T. 7, §§880, 881.)