The officer serving process upon any person or corporation named as garnishee shall, at the time of service, make inquiry as to the amount then owed by such garnishee to the defendant in such action; and, if such garnishee thereupon discloses to such officer whether anything is then owed to such defendant, and if so how much, such officer shall then and there endorse such disclosure on such process as a part of his return thereon; and such disclosure shall excuse such garnishee from appearing, unless thereafter summoned as a witness, before the court to which such process is returnable, and such court may, without further proof, find the fact to be as shown by such disclosure.