If any garnishee, cited in to disclose before a court held in a town other than that in which he resides, was not indebted to the defendant and had no effects of the defendant in his possession when the writ was served upon him, it shall be a sufficient excuse for his not appearing before such court if he files therein on the return day of the writ his affidavit stating such facts; but if any garnishee, when cited in to disclose, fails to appear without reasonable excuse or refuses to disclose on oath whether he has any effects of the defendant in his possession or is indebted to him, then, if the plaintiff brings a scire facias against him on a judgment recovered against the defendant in the suit, judgment shall be rendered against such garnishee personally for the costs accrued on the scire facias, though it appears that he had no effects of the debtor in his possession and was not indebted to him.