The district attorney, the foreman of the grand jury or the clerk of the court, on the application of the grand jury, must issue subpoenas for any witnesses whom they may require to give evidence before them, and if witnesses so summoned fail to attend, the subpoenas must be returned to the court, with the default thereon endorsed, signed by the foreman, and the same proceedings may thereupon be had against them as against defaulting witnesses, the endorsement of the foreman being presumptive evidence of the default.