Section 24. If a plaintiff would be entitled to a judgment or a decree, except for the bankruptcy or insolvency of the debtor or his discharge therein, and if, more than four months prior to the commencement of proceedings in bankruptcy, or, in voluntary proceedings in insolvency, more than four months prior to the time of the first publication of the notice of the issuing of the warrant, or, in involuntary proceedings more than four months prior to the first publication of the notice of the petition, or, in proceedings in composition in insolvency in which no assignment has been made, more than four months prior to the notice by the register to the creditors of the debtor’s proposal of composition, any property, estate, interest or money of a debtor has been attached, or brought within the control of a court of equity by proceedings under clause (6) of section three of chapter two hundred and fourteen, by other proceedings, or by payment into court, the court may at any time upon motion enter a special judgment or decree for the plaintiff, for the amount of his debt or damages and costs, or for such other relief as he may be entitled to, to be enforced in the first instance only against the property, estate, interest or money, so attached or brought within the control of a court of equity. If such property, estate, interest or money shall be insufficient to satisfy the judgment or decree in full, the court may thereafter, if the debtor’s discharge is refused, or if he shall unreasonably delay to prosecute said proceedings to a discharge, order an alias or other successive execution or other process to be issued upon such judgment or decree for such portion thereof as remains unsatisfied. The creditor shall also in case of such refusal or delay be entitled to the remedies provided in section nineteen. This section shall not impair the powers which courts of equity may otherwise exercise.