The action or motion at law may be against any person indebted or liable in any way whatever to the state, his sureties and his and their personal representatives, or any one or more of them. But a judgment against a personal representative shall only bind him to the extent to which he is accountable for assets of the estate which he represents. If several defendants be proceeded against jointly, judgments may be rendered against any one of them shown to be liable and the proceeding be dismissed as to the others, or judgments rendered in their favor, or the case continued as to them for service of process or notice or other cause. Any party dismissed for want of service or process may be subsequently sued and an unsatisfied judgment against one or more of several persons jointly liable shall not be a bar to any subsequent proceedings against the others.